Seasoned French Fries
Happy 68th Birthday to Harrison Ford! We bet that Indiana Jones would approve of this Recipe of the Day:
Posts Tagged ‘Snack’
My tradition on the eve of the new year is a bevy of friends, champagne and a table of small bites. Small bites allow much of the work to be completed before guests arrive, leaving plenty of time for mingling and munching. Plus, you can eat the leftovers (if there ARE any leftovers) the following days and feel like you are re-living the festivities. Happy new year!
Tuna Poke in Wonton Cups
- 24 wonton wrappers
- 2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil, divided
- 12 ounces sashimi-quality ahi tuna, chilled
- 2 green onions
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- ½ large, firm-ripe Haas avocado
- Black sesame seeds
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Lay the wonton wrappers on a work surface and, using about 1 tablespoon of the oil, brush 1 side of each. Tuck the wonton wrappers into mini-muffin tins, oiled sides down (work in batches if necessary). Snuggle the wrappers into the cups, pleating as necessary to fit. Bake until the wontons are starting to brown on the bottoms and tips, about 8 minutes. Remove the wontons and let cool in the tins. Let stand for up to 3 hours.
With a very sharp knife, cut the tuna into ¼ inch thick slices. Stack the slices and cut them lengthwise into ¼ inch thick widths. Cut those crosswise into dice (don’t worry if pieces aren’t perfectly symmetrical). Put the tuna in a small mixing bowl and add the remaining tablespoon oil, green onions, soy sauce, lime juice, and ginger. Fold gently to mix. Cut the avocado into fine dice and add it to the bowl with the tuna. Fold it in gently to mix. Spoon the poke into the wonton cups and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Serve immediately. Makes 24 portions (12 servings) Note: I usually make the filling ahead of time but don’t add the avocado until later. This way the flavors can meld and you won’t be scrambling too much before the party starts. Also, you can make the wonton cups ahead of time (about 3 hours.)
Recipe courtesy of Party Appetizers by Tori Ritchie.
Below are pictures of other NYE small bites.
Crab rangoons paired with spicy chile sauce - a nice sweet and salty combo.
- Deviled eggs are always the hit of the party.
- Smoked salmon atop creme fraiche
Here are a few simple holiday recipes you can make – and enjoy – with your kids. Enjoy!
English toffee
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Four – 7/8 oz. chocolate bars
- ¾ cup pecans finely chopped
Combine sugar, butter and water in a heavy saucepan. Cook to 300 degrees (hard crack stage), stir constantly to prevent burning. Add vanilla and pour in a buttered 9”x 9” pan. Lay the chocolate bars on top and spread them evenly as they melt. While still warm, sprinkle chopped pecans over the top. Cool thoroughly and break into pieces.
Peanut butter bars
- 2 cubes butter or margarine
- 1 lb. box of powdered sugar
- 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
- 1 ¼ cup crushed graham cracker crumbs
- 1 – 12 oz. package chocolate chips
Melt butter. Remove from heat and add peanut butter, cracker crumbs and sugar. Spread thick dough in 9 x 13” pan. Melt chocolate chips and spread on top. Let cool and cut into bars.
Salty and Sweet Caramel Corn
Do you crave salty or sweet?
If you ask most, they will say salty or sweet, savory, dessert or something along those lines. I for one don’t really have a preference, it just depends on my mood or the time of day. The recipe below pretty much falls into the sweet category but incorporates salty pretzels for the savory snackers out there.
I really like this recipe because it fast, easy and a great addition to your holiday repertoire. It’s almost as good as Harry and David’s Moose Munch (minus the chocolate!)
- 8 cups popped popcorn (microwave popcorn, light)
- 4 cups oven-toasted rice cereal squares
- 2 cups miniature pretzels
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup butter or margarine
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Combine popcorn, cereal, pretzels and pecans in a rectangular bowl. Combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in a 2 quart saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil over entire surface. Reduce heat to medium low. Cook without stirring 5 minutes. (Mixture should continue to bubble gently over surface.) Remove saucepan from heat. Quickly add vanilla and baking soda, stirring carefully. Pour over popcorn mixture in bowl, and toss until well coated. Bake 30 minutes, stir after 15 minutes.
Transfer popcorn mixture to a large piece of parchment paper. Cool completely, breaking mixture into clusters as it cools.
Yield: 15 cups.
Recipe passed along by my mom who knows I crave all things sweet and have the cavities to prove it!
Sugar Pie Pumpkins
About mid-October I start to think about my costume for Halloween (it’s usually something food-related, what a surprise) and the amount of candy I need for the trick-or-treaters (and myself of course). This year I pondered the idea of a pumpkin to sit on my front porch and scare away the goblins. Instead I wound up with two sugar pie pumpkins and an open list of options for using them.
Most people are familiar with Jack O’Lantern pumpkins or the stuff out of the can for pies. The Jack O’Lantern variation is great for carving but not so good for eating because they are fibrous, bland (I’m told) and have a “low flesh to cavity” ratio. Although I might add here that the Seattle Woodland Park Zoo has found their inhabitants (in particular the hippos) don’t seem to mind.
While my pumpkins are ultimately destined for ravioli in a sage browned butter sauce there is the matter of my favorite part…the seeds. We opted to use a light coating of oil, a dusting of 9-spice curry and a sprinkle of salt. Toasted in a 350 degree oven for about 30-45 minutes (test for doneness) the result was a deliciously crunchy snack or quite possibly an addition to a salad or bowl of soup.
Toasted, Curry Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 cup seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon 9 – spice curry (or curry powder)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, tossing every 15 minutes to coat.
Hope you have a happy – and safe – Halloween!
Toasted Curry Pumpkin Seeds